Highway 166 rollover crash reportedly ignites brush on fire

Fire crews responding to a brush fire Wednesday evening burning along Highway 166 just west of New Cuyama that burned 40 acres before it was put out.

The California Highway Patrol received a report of a vehicle rollover crash at 5:27 p.m. About a minute later, the CHP’s traffic incident web page reported the vehicle had caught on fire, and in the process, ignited some nearby brush.

It’s unknown what happened to the driver of the car and how badly the driver was injured.

The fire was said to have a moderate rate of spread as crews attempt to keep the blaze north of the nearby riverbed.

Forest Service and Cal Fire crews worked through the night and into the morning to keep the fire from spreading to nearby foothills covered with thick, dry brush.

The fire eventually burned itself out at a wet creek bed. No structures were threatened.